1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to oil well drilling apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus for handling the strings of drill pipe utilized for drilling oil and gas wells. Most particularly, the invention is directed towards improved means of handling dual elevators for use in tripping drill pipe into and out of a borehole.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A significant improvement in the art of drilling oil and gas wells is revealed in Guier U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,509 which, as above indicated, is incorporated herein by reference. In this patent, handling drill pipe utilizing a dual elevator system is provided. A primary advantage of the dual elevator system is that it eliminates the use of slips; and by eliminating the use of slips, the life of the drill pipe is substantially increased. The present invention is directed towards improved means of controlling the links of a drilling system for more precisely coupling and uncoupling the links from dual elevators.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for handling stands of pipe in a drilling rig.
These general objects as well as other and more specific objects of the invention will be fulfilled in the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.